


Lean on Me

by sh4d0w_t3rry



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Attempted Kidnapping, Bottom Kang Yeosang, Drama & Romance, Fluff and Smut, Gamma and Delta, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mpreg, Teen Pregnancy, Top Kim Hongjoong, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:47:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25896955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sh4d0w_t3rry/pseuds/sh4d0w_t3rry
Summary: After his old pack was destroyed, Kang Yeosang was forced to completely change his life, settling in a nearby village that agreed to help him. But apparently peace is not destined always to last and when he believed that everything he held dear would be taken away from him again, he found himself being saved by the one who would later become his reason for living.
Relationships: Kang Yeosang/Kim Hongjoong
Comments: 10
Kudos: 53





	1. Intro

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first time I try to write a story in English, because it is not my first language, but I still hope to do a good job and that you enjoy my story.  
> I noticed that there aren't a lot of HongSang stories, so I decided to write one myself, please support me and tell me if you like it!

_"Hey, did you see him? Doesn't that seem strange to you too?"_

_"I know, I can't identify its second gender and that doesn't make me feel comfortable."_

_"Why did the pack leader let him stay?"_

This was what people usually talked about whenever he walked the streets of his new pack, his new home.

It had been almost a year now since he had started living in that village, trying to settle in and even get along with the locals. He was still a simple boy of only fiveteen with soft light blond hair and pale skin. His eyes seemed to be almost those of a fawn because of their almond color and almost always curious gaze, despite his shy and taciturn ways.

Some elders enjoyed his company, after all he had always been a very sweet and kind boy, but most civilians still saw him as a stranger.

At first glance, no one would think it could be a Beta in some way, much less an Alpha.

He was often mistaken for an Omega, but in reality he wasn't even one of these and you could well tell from his smell that it was sweet and with a stronger aura than that of a normal omega, but not as pungent and intimidating as that of any beta.

Many villagers believed that its smell was like that due to its original pack which was once very famous due to its magical and medical knowledge, but which sadly was destroyed and razed to the ground by an enemy pack.

Yeosang was one of the few survivors who had managed to find help where the alpha leader had agreed to welcome them, although many other werewolves were not very supportive of the idea, as some thought their village would then be the next to be attacked for. having sheltered the survivors of the attack.

Yet it seemed that no one could truly understand the pain he felt, he had seen his world collapse on him and he had been forced to say goodbye to all he had due to the thirst for power of an enemy pack. Why couldn't they try to accept it? What was wrong with wanting to help someone who had done nothing wrong in their life to deserve such a thing?

But despite this, even if he wasn't totally happy to have changed his life like that, at least he was happy to have someone around who cared for him, just like the wife of the alpha who was the second-in-command of the pack after the alpha leader. Her name is Songhee and she is a really kind woman, she had long black and silky hair, always tied in a soft braid or tied in a high bun with some strands dropped in front of her face, giving her an air so elegant and delicate that to the eyes of Yeosang seemed to look exactly like a beautiful flower.

Even that day she had come to him in the small wooden house where he lived together with an omega female and a beta male who apparently were a couple, also belonging to his old pack. When he went to open the door, he noticed that she had come with a basket in her hand, only to discover that it contained some handmade sweets made by her and this had done nothing but make him even happier. Songhee was truly the only one who had really managed to make him feel really wanted and more comfortable since he found himself living in that village, she always showed that she cared about him in some way and had always treated him with such care, almost as if she had silently claimed him as her son.

They had eaten the sweets together, obviously leaving some aside for the couple who temporarily took care of Yeosang and then moved to the garden where the woman convinced him to want to teach him how to make flower crowns.

Yeosang had his head resting on the woman's thighs as they sat on the grass, letting her gently stroke his hair, enjoying the warmth of the sun's rays and the sweetness of the woman who was singing him a short song that seemed to be more a lullaby.

"Tell me Yeosang, did you like the sweets?" She asks at some point after spending a few minutes in total silence, having now finished her song and she also wanted to try to talk more to Yeosang, hoping to be able to make him open more with her. From the first moment they met, Yeosang had proved to be a very taciturn boy and who rarely really talked about what he felt, perhaps because of his shyness or perhaps because he still didn't feel confident enough with someone like that point to want to talk about it. Whenever she tried to ask her, Yeosang always replied that she was fine and immediately after that she avoided the speech, starting another one or not talking anymore and she wanted to try somehow to resolve that situation.

"Yes, they are really delicious, thanks for bringing them to me." The boy answered her, smiling happily as he enjoyed the sweet and delicate touch of the woman who nodded at her words.

"You know, my son loves them too, he says they're his absolute favorite food."

"You have a son?" Yeosang's question seemed to be quite surprised, even if that was to be expected, after all Songhee was a married woman and it was a bit obvious that she and her partner wanted to have children, every omega dreams of having a nice family with the man who loves. It's just that she hadn't talked about it before and was almost starting to believe he didn't have one.

"Yes, I have a son. But you have never seen him, because at the moment he is together with other boys of his age following an élite training." The woman replied, smiling to see the surprised and curious expression on the boy's face, finding it more than adorable.

"Has he been away for a long time? Do you miss him?" He keeps asking for the Yeosang, now curious to know more about this boy, also wondering if he looked like his mother.

The omega nodded with a small serene smile to light up his face. "My son has been away for five years, but it shouldn't be long before his return, would you like to meet him when he is back home?"

"Can I really?" The little boy asked hopefully, looking at her now with bright eyes, clearly expressing how excited he was at the idea, despite trying not to give it too much to see and contain.

"Of course, I'm sure you'll get along well together." She said, resuming stroking Yeosang's soft, silky hair.

"What's his name?"

"Hongjoong."

The bell had now rung and like every other day Yeosang had started running home, wanting to get there as soon as possible. He also risked stumbling several times. He had a skinned knee with a band-aid on it and his wound was clearly visible from the shorts he was wearing, but he didn't seem to be paying too much attention, as it didn't hurt that much.

He had also had a hands-on exam with other betas that day, due to his aura much stronger than that of a simple omega, Yeosang had been placed in a beta class and he was fine with it.

During the test they had to work in teams in the woods and in a way it could also be seen as a game, because they simply had to be able to steal the flags carrying the opposing teams and the group with the most flags would be the winner. While it might have seemed like a silly game, it was actually also very useful, because that way they were able to optimize their senses and also develop their relationship as a team.

A good leader must always know how to lead his subordinates and each member of the team must know well how to be able to coordinate with the others in order to complete any mission, whether it is for hunting or to surprise and defend himself from a possible enemy.

And that explained why he had a skinned knee, but luckily it was nothing serious, so it didn't really matter to him.

As soon as he arrived, he strangely found the door already open and this found it rather strange, but he did not give too much weight, believing that perhaps one of the two had gone out and had not closed the door properly. He entered the house and at that precise moment something seemed to be out of place, he perceived a strange foreign aura inside the house and this did not keep him quiet for much longer. By now he was used to the presence of the couple who took care of him, but that seemed to be totally different.

And he had the most complete confirmation of it when his ears began to hear heavy and slow footsteps walking in the living room and which gave him a strange feeling of restlessness. He slowly began to take steps back, praying in his heart that whoever is in the house has not yet sensed his arrival. Then he heard something fall to the ground with a loud thud and immediately after the figure of a man make its appearance after exiting directly from the living room. He wore a cloth mask that covered his entire lower face, leaving only his eyes uncovered, and his hands were stained with blood. At that point Yeosang quickly ran out of the house, feeling his wolf instinct telling him clearly that it was not safe to stay and that he had better escape. After all he was just a kid, he couldn't do much and the best thing to do would be to try to get help.

Unfortunately his house was located a little on the edge of the village and soon his ears perceived rapid movements behind him and before he could go deeper into the village, his way was blocked by another guy who apparently it was with what he had seen in the house, forcing him to change direction so as not to be caught. It was clear that their target was him and surely they wanted to silence him for what he had seen, but Yeosang had no intention of getting caught, he was afraid of what they might do to him if it happened. But they were faster since suddenly he felt grabbed by the collar of his shirt, making him scream in surprise mixed with fear, but which was soon silenced by a hand that had gone to cover his mouth. He tried to wriggle to try to escape somehow from the strong and even painful grip of the man who was squeezing his torso tightly to prevent him from escaping, pushing him to enter an alley so as not to be seen by some other villager.

Soon the other guy with the bloody hands joined them too.

"Is he the Gamma?" Asked the guy who was holding him still while the other pulled out a dagger that at the sight made him tremble with fear.

"I have no doubts, our leader will be satisfied." At those words Yeosang immediately understood that the situation was even worse than he expected, he did not want to end up in the hands of some strange Alpha who certainly did not have good intentions and for this he resumed struggling, trying to throw a few punches or kicks at his attacker. .

_"Let me go, please."_ He thought desperately, hoping that some strange miracle might happen to save him from that situation.

"He looks like a troubled kid, let's get you a little in line." Said the masked-faced guy, bringing the knife close to her face that made him paralyze instantly.

Immediately afterwards they tied his hands behind his back with sturdy ropes and covered his mouth with cloth bandages, thus blocking all kinds of escape routes.

Hours passed and by now the three were in the woods, now close to the border of the territory belonging to the alpha who had welcomed him into his village. He had tried other times to escape from his captors, but it had been all in vain, now his body was tired, weak and in pain from the wounds they had done to make him weaker. Her legs clearly showed some bruises and her wrists were now numb from how tight the ropes were around them.

"You are so slow, walk faster." The guy behind him blurted out, pushing him badly forward, making him even risk tripping for the thousandth time.

Was this really his destiny? To end up in the hands of a stranger who had who knows what intentions with him and constantly lose everything he loved? Why him? Just now that he had managed to be happier and more serene with the new life he was leading in the village, he was now forced to say goodbye even to those few who had become important to him. But what he most regretted was the fact that he had not been able to see Songhee one last time, just like his parents, he was about to say goodbye without any warning and without even the opportunity to see her again.

"Hey, stop, don't you feel something too?" At one point the man who was standing in front of the line asked and he was between the two.

"There is someone, be alert." And it was only then that Yeosang's senses were activated again, prompting him to make a little effort and try to perceive what the man had heard and was actually right.

He could feel a presence near them and it seemed he was moving quickly through the trees, as if he wanted to confuse their ideas.

But maybe it wasn't just one, it was impossible for a single person to be able to move so quickly from one side to the other, maybe there were more than one.

Suddenly he felt himself pushed hard to the side and his body inevitably ended up crashing violently against the trunk of a tree, stunning him for a few moments while trying to understand what was happening at the same time. He could hear the confused screams of his captors that soon turned into angry growls, a sign that they had transformed and assumed their wolf form.

Yeosang tried to see and understand what was happening, trying to keep his eyes open which strangely got heavier and he struggled to stay conscious for much longer. He also felt something slowly descend from his temple that had begun to throb with pain, making him realize that perhaps he had started bleeding and was slowly losing consciousness, certainly due to the blow he had suffered in the head after hitting the tree.

But before he could completely fall asleep, a strong smell flooded his sense of smell along with two strong arms that were now enveloping his body and for some strange reason, Yeosang felt almost safe in the stranger's grip.


	2. New Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally Yeosang gets to know Hongjoong to whom he literally owes his life. And thanks to him he manages to feel accepted and wanted

It was now afternoon and the boys were returning home after what had been five long years of training. They had so many things to tell their parents and relatives, the curiosity to see them again and return to what is their home is nothing more than an addition to their great emotion in finally being able to see their loved ones again.

  


Every year an old werewolf always made a tour of the various villages and always chose some young people to be able to recruit as his pupil and send him to a spiritual temple located towards the north-west of the region where the boys of at least ten qualified for the enterprise begin to follow an elite training under the guidance of several masters totally different from those who could be found in a normal school like any other. Unfortunately there aren't many guys who have the right qualities to be able to have this privilege, but the five of them had made it despite the various difficulties and had to thank their incredible tenacity and willpower for this.

  


Just at that moment they were walking quietly among the trees of the forest, now crossed the border that separated their land from the even larger and unknown one and in the meantime they were also talking happily among themselves without any concern.

  


"Do you remember the afternoons spent near the river trying to fish? We were really clumsy, Mingi always slipped into the water!" Said Yunho, a fifteen-year-old beta with dark brown hair and almond-shaped eyes and who immediately got an elbow in the ribs from a boy who was nearly his height.

  


"Yah! You know perfectly how it's hard to balance when the water runs fast!" The other beta involved answered while the other companions laughed heartily at the memory and also at the bickering of the two young betas.

  


Also with them were Jongho, San and Hongjoong, all three of the alphas. The first of the three was a perfect example of a young alpha, strong and decisive exactly like his aura, the best in hand-to-hand combat. While the other two had a more slender and almost petite build, but which should not be underestimated.

In fact, San was a very fast and shrewd werewolf, ideal for spying missions and attacking the enemy when he least expects it with very precise attacks. Hongjoong, on the other hand, it could be said that he was the mind of the group, he had red hair and two emerald eyes and despite his small stature, he was the most logical and intelligent, he always managed to keep a cool head even in the most critical situations and was also the one who led his team as a true leader.

  


"Come on, don't start arguing like children." Jongho said that out of spite he found the two betas to remind him that he was the maknae there and that he could not object in the slightest, because the facts were facts.

  


"Guys, shut up for a moment." Hongjoong said out of the blue, frowning as he stared at a point far ahead of them and the other boys stood to attention, realizing he sensed something.

  


"There's someone ahead." San said after a few moments of silence, having also noticed what had attracted the attention of the red-haired boy.

  


"Their aura seems pretty aggressive to me, I don't think they're friendly." Jongho also intervened as the boys moved to a point that was out of the trajectory of these presences. In training they had learned that it was always better to never keep their guard down, being the next generation of warriors in their pack, they must be alert and perceive in time the external dangers and at that moment it could be said that they were doing well in practice everything they had learned. And then in recent times they had heard of many attacks by the Southern Pack in an attempt to expand their power and they couldn't be sure if he was really one of them or not.

  


"Ok, let's keep calm, I propose to send San to check and in case of danger, you will warn us." Hongjoong spoke again with his mind that was already working out a defensive plan, sending Yunho and Jongho to the other side while Mingi would stay with him, waiting for San to let them know through mental communication.

  


Each pack had this kind of bond that allowed them to communicate easily with each other even at a certain distance, it was more practical and useful to use during various types of missions.

  


In the meantime San had already gone a long way, climbing with agility on a tall tree, once he felt he was close enough to those presences to obviously not get caught and also be able to observe the situation well. He had only transformed his hands to be able to use his claws and climb faster, he was aware of the fact that possible enemies could sense his presence or smell his scent, so he had decided to climb a tree to not allow them to find it more easily.

  


A few meters away from him he could see three figures, the human eye would have been difficult to find them, but not for an alpha like him.

_"Hongjoong, there are three people, two alphas and the one in the middle looks like a beta or an omega to me."_ San said after having a good look at the three figures, sitting on the branch of his tree, careful not to fall.

  


_"Tell me more, do you say that our intervention is necessary?"_ Asked the boy who in the meantime was stationed behind some bushes from which he could have an excellent view, ready to give signals to his other companions in case there was the need.

  


_"I think they are kidnapping an omega, he has several bruises on his body and his hands are tied, we have to do something! Are you and the others ready?"_

  


_"We are ready, you follow them and tell us which direction they take."_ Having said that Hongjoong decided to organize things quickly and make others understand what they had to do.

  


So it was that they managed to save the boy, Yunho and San had used their incredible agility to confuse the senses of the two kidnappers and when the right time had come, Mingi and Jongho had attacked them in their wolf form and soon after also the others. two had come to help them. All this simply to create a diversion that would give Hongjoong enough time to pick up the boy and get him out of there. When he was far enough and in a safer spot, he told the boys to part ways and disperse their tracks before reaching him, because he knew the two kidnappers would surely try to chase one of them for revenge and he couldn't allow that. harmed his comrades.

  


But luckily they managed to do a great team work and now that they had also managed to get rid of the two kidnappers, they already knew they had to hurry back to the village, so as not to find them in front of them again.

  


"Did you manage to hurt one of them, so as to slow them down?" Hongjoong asked as he reached down to be able to put down the boy they had just rescued and taking a handkerchief out of his pocket and using it to wipe away what little blood was dripping from his temple and briefly check his vital functions to make sure he was okay.

  


"Jongho must have managed to bite one in the leg and I bit one of them in the shoulder, I don't think they'll follow us." Yunho then said as he looked at the sleeping boy's face, looking at him with a curious look. "Do you think it is a Beta or an Omega?"

  


"It's definitely not an Alpha, but even I couldn't figure out if it was a Beta or an Omega before, its aura is weird." San answered immediately afterwards, also confused about the matter.

  


"It doesn't matter, our priority now is to go home and then we'll see what to do next." He then concluded Hongjoong after making sure he wasn't getting too much blood, tying cloth bandages around his head before asking Jongho to take him on his shoulders and so walk home again, hoping not to encounter more problems along the way. .

  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


When he began to wake up again, some distant, muffled voices reached his ears, although he couldn't quite understand what they were saying. His eyes were struggling a bit to open and he could smell a strong pungent smell like winter moss tickling his nose and something really soft was covering her from the evening chill. In the distance he could also hear the ticking of raindrops hitting the wooden window.

When he finally managed to open his eyes, his gaze immediately met that of two emerald irises who were staring at him with curiosity, making him feel almost in awe for a moment at the knowledge that he had been stared at all the time by a stranger.

"Don't worry, you don't have to get panicked." The boy with light eyes of a very curious and almost bewitching color told him how beautiful they were and that he seemed to have already seen somewhere, but unfortunately he could not remember where. "You are in my house, you are safe here." He continues, moving from the chair he was sitting on to take a wooden bowl and pour water into it, then handing it to Yeosang who after a few moments accepted, whispering a small "thank you" for politeness. And if at first he just wanted to take a few sips, he soon found himself greedily drinking all the liquid in the bowl, also asking for more, making the unknown boy chuckle heartily who continued to observe him in silence.

Are you the one who saved me from those two people…? ”Yeosang asked after he managed to quench his thirst, patiently waiting for the red-haired boy to answer him.

"That's right, even though I didn't do it all by myself, my friends helped me." He replied with a somewhat proud tone, it was evident that he was proud of his small team and this caused Yeosang to escape a small smile. Not even an hour had passed, yet he already felt at ease with him, something told him he could trust him.

After a few moments, the door to the room opened, revealing the slim and elegant figure of a young woman that Yeosang recognized instantly.

"Yeosang, you finally woke up." Songhee said in a sweet and affectionate tone, entering the room holding a tray with food on it and it was then that Yeosang remembered where he had already seen those emerald green eyes.

"I also see that you have already met my son." She continues after the red-haired boy allows her to take the seat in the chair. At his words, Yeosang looked again at the boy who seemed to be around his age, if not older and who returned his gaze, inevitably making him miss a beat at how deep it was.

"I'm Hongjoong, it's a pleasure to meet you." The boy with the same eyes as his mother said to him, giving him a small friendly smile, maybe he wanted to make him feel more at ease.

"My name is Yeosang."

After the incident that occurred on the day of their first meeting, Yeosang was moved to a house towards the center of the village and this time he would be forced to live completely alone, as the couple he lived with before had been killed and this could only leave a deep sadness in his heart, after all he had also become fond of them and it hurt to know that their life had been stolen in that way.

And by now he didn't even feel so comfortable being totally alone in a house that was too big for a simple kid like him, but even if now he had no one else to spend his days at home with, after all, in his heart he knew he wasn't totally alone and that couldn't help but make him feel better.

He was happy, he felt safer, he felt protected ...

The reason? Very simple: Hongjoong.

•

•

•

_After Songhee left the room with the now empty plates from Yeosang's meal, the two boys were alone again and Hongjoong took the opportunity to satiate his curiosity and try to talk to the wheat-blond boy again._

_Now that he knew that he was Songhee's son, Yeosang was really relieved, he didn't want to fear that he was back in the hands of a malicious person. After everything he had been through, he was also doing well to be more careful and even have a little fear of whatever type of Alpha he might have in fronte of him, it was more than understandable and Hongjoong didn't blame him._

_  
_

_His mother had told him a little about Yeosang's situation after she finished medicating him and putting him to bed, still asleep. But despite this, Hongjoong wanted to know more, he wanted to know Yeosang in person and not through what someone else said about him._

_And his mother was completely right, Yeosang was really a very sweet and sincere boy, Hongjoong was very good at sensing when someone tried to tell him a lie and in during that little conversation they had had, the blond hadn't lied to him even once and this did nothing but please him._

_  
_

_They discovered that they were only a year apart and that Hongjoong was his Hyung. It didn't take them long to get along well with each other, it had become more pleasant and Yeosang had stopped feeling uncomfortable in the presence of the red-haired boy because of his kindness and his friendly ways. Plus Hongjoong was deliberately avoiding asking him uncomfortable questions, showing his genuine curiosity towards the blonde through even quite stupid questions like his favorite dish or what he liked to do in his spare time. They had also had a little squabble over sweets, because Hongjoong claimed dango were better than honey rolls and apparently Yeosang had also ended up showing the other some of his stubborn character and claiming he was very wrong._

_  
_

_Noticing that the child did not give up, the red-haired boy decided to put an end to the discussion, stating that the rice and jam pies his mother made were the best and there they both agreed, laughing soon after at their behavior before._

_  
_

_"By the way, my father said he has already found another place for you, you can't live in your old house anymore after what happened today." Hongjoong told him not long after, deciding to inform his new friend of what the second-in-command of the pack had decided, obviously wanting to make sure that Yeosang lived quietly._

_  
_

_At that statement, Yeosang thought about it a bit, honestly he wasn't very sure about how comfortable he could be living alone in his own house. He had also previously been briefed on what had happened to the couple caring for him and honestly speaking, he still felt deeply guilty about what they had gone through because of him._

_  
_

_Noticing the sudden silence on the part of the blonde, Hongjoong more or less sensed what Yeosang's concerns were, prompting him to want to comfort him. "I know it will be difficult, especially since you will be the only one living in that house, but if it can make you feel comfortable, you can always count on me." The young alpha told him, giving him another one of those smiles of his that were very similar to his mother's, but which were perhaps even more beautiful and luminous, because they managed to infuse him with a certain inexplicable calm._

_  
_

_"And how are you going to do it? When I was about to be taken away, literally nobody noticed." Yeosang said in a rather worried tone, after all it was also understandable, not all the villagers liked his presence and how could he blame them? He was pretty sure no one would care if he disappeared from that place overnight._

_  
_

_"We can use the communication link, from what my mother told me, you don't have a solid one with the rest of the pack yet." The boy proposed, speaking in a decisive tone before reaching out to the smallest._

_  
_

_For a moment Yeosang looked at him with a somewhat confused and immediately surprised look. To be able to have a communication bond with the rest of the pack he had to first be able to integrate better with the other villagers, so that he could have some confidence with whoever chooses to talk and this was something that only the leader of the pack was able to give him. Without his consent it would have been impossible for him to be able to communicate with the other werewolves in the pack._

_  
_

_"What do you want to do?" He asked confusedly, wanting to better understand Hongjoong's intentions._

_  
_

_"I am not the Alpha leader of the pack, but I am the leader of my élite team, creating a bond with me would allow you to telepathically connect with me, my friends and my family. This way in case you find yourself in danger, you can rely on us. " He claims and now that he was listening to him, his reasoning was flawless. Maybe he would never really be accepted by the rest of the pack, but even that way it could work and Yeosang had to seriously admit that Hongjoong was truly the genius Songhee had told her so much about._

_  
_

_"Are you really sure ..?" He asked for safety, he didn't want him to regret it in any way in the future and he didn't want Hongjoong to feel forced to do such a thing just to protect a kid like him._

_  
_

_And maybe the emerald-eyed boy was already able to read his mind, because he smiled at him once more and nodded firmly._

_"I wouldn't have proposed it to you if you hadn't wanted it." He claims, urging Yeosang once again with his eyes to grab his hand._

_  
_

_After a few more moments of hesitation, finally Yeosang reached out and grabbed Hongjoong's forearm who did the same with him in a strong and almost overwhelming grip, because Yeosang felt immediately overwhelmed by a wave of unknown energy spreading throughout his body and as Hongjoong's eyes lit up a bright crimson red, hers turned a beautiful light gray, as if they were two splendid crystals._

_  
_

_"From today I promise to protect you with all my strength Yeosang."_

•

•

•

In the memory of that evening, Yeosang inevitably found himself smiling like an idiot, knowing full well that for anything, Hongjoong would be close to him. A week had passed since that evening and Yeosang had resumed his usual life, even if now he could say he had new friends, a new family.

Hongjoong had pushed him to meet his friends, stating that he had to get along with them if he wanted their new bond to work well and in this way he had also found himself becoming friends with Yunho, Mingi, San and Jongho who had saved him together. in Hongjoong that afternoon in the woods and together with them he also met two omegas who were called Seonghwa and Wooyoung and both attended the same school, but who had never seen each other, because they were in different classes.

Basically Beta and Omega were taking lessons in divided classes while the Alphas were in a completely different building.

At first he was obviously very shy in wanting to know them and he also had to admit that he had struggled to open up more and speak to them more calmly. But it was only a matter of minutes, because they proved to be really very nice and had avoided a bit 'everyone from asking him inappropriate questions and just involve him in their usual pastimes. Yeosang also suspected a little that Hongjoong had warned others not to make him uncomfortable in any way, because none of them had dared to ask him about his strange smell and honestly Yeosang could not but be happier. He didn't feel ready to talk about it yet, but he was sure that someday he would tell the kids everything, he just had to find the right moment and feel more confident about it too.

Theirs was a really nice group, you could see that they cared for each other and admired their deep bond of friendship that had surely been built up after so many years of acquaintance, but despite this they had all been very positive to ' idea of making him join their team and that made him very happy indeed.

Finally he felt accepted, he felt part of a family and he was no longer alone, because now he had people he could rely on and for whom he would give everything to keep them close to him.


	3. Dragonflies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A beautiful day in the company of his new friends and in the evening having to face the truth about himself. Will Yeosang be ready to tell Hongjoong who or what he really is?

It was at least a week since Yeosang had been admitted to their little group and since then he could say that every day there was a new adventure. Sometimes the guys really came up with some pretty stupid ideas, but in the end they turned out to be funny anyway.

The days were no longer boring and monotonous as before and even though they had now finished their élite training, the boys were still forced to go to school again in order to catch up with the theory part.

During the training in the temple they had trained to accustom the mind to learn different types of strategies and also to understand well how to lead a team during the simulations of different missions.

However, each pack was also particularly interested in history and Hongjoong found it useful to be able to learn as much as possible despite the complaints of his friends who did not find themselves so much in agreement with him, but they unfortunately could not do anything about it. Since they had already taken a special training course, they didn't have to participate in practical tests with the others and finished classes even earlier than everyone else and that was a small relief.

In fact, the boys who had followed the training at the spiritual temple followed the lessons in a different class, without necessarily having to divide the alpha from the betas and in this way Hongjoong had also found himself in class with his friends and some other werewolf that had had the same privilege.

But after those classes were over, they always ended up spending time together and then waited for Seonghwa, Yeosang and Wooyoung to come out of school as well and then involve the three in their bad ideas as well. That afternoon, in fact, Yunho, Mingi and San had literally forced the others to follow them to the banks of the river that flowed near the village and from which they obtained the water resources, convinced in wanting to catch some fish like when they were children.

Being a normal summer day, the sun was already high in the sky and the waters of the river were very calm, so it wouldn't be dangerous to go into its waters and try to catch some good fish, in case their hunt went well, they had also intentions of grilling fish with a small bonfire outside, not bad as a plan on how to spend the day, right?

And San was also bragging about how much a funny genius he was, stating that not even Hongjoong could get over his intellect and the boys just let him do it, some even indulging him while they enjoyed their day together in total tranquility.

While the other boys were busy trying to catch some fish, Yeosang was curiously watching Seonghwa and Wooyoung as they attempted to catch some dragonflies that were flying near a raspberry bush, cheering happily when they succeed. They were going to compete and see who caught the most dragonflies and then set them free soon after and Yeosang found himself judging, keeping the tally for his two friends and laughing whenever the two failed miserably.

"If you want my opinion, you should wait for the dragonflies to land on the bush and slowly approach it before grabbing it by the wings." Yeosang said when he saw Seonghwa fail for the thousandth time, laughing again when he saw Wooyoung tripping over his own feet and ending up almost completely falling into the bush, causing many more dragonflies to fly away.

"Please, try not to hurt them." The wheat-blond boy continues, clearly not wanting his friends to inevitably end up hurting those poor insects.

At one point he began to sense a presence getting closer and closer to them from behind his back, but Yeosang didn't care much, as it wasn't an unfamiliar aura and he was sure it was one of the guys who were still trying to fish and that had thought of joining them.

Yeosang also had a vague idea of who he might be, but before he could even try to turn around, he was stopped by Wooyoung's voice.

"Ah Yeosang! Don't move, you have a dragonfly on your hair!" The young omega exclaimed, making him understand that he had every intention of capturing that dragonfly, thus also attracting the attention of Seonghwa.

"No, wait, I want to take it!" Says the eldest, stopping Wooyoung by the arm to not allow him to get closer to Yeosang.

"No, I saw her first!" Exclaims the smallest, trying hard to free himself from the grip of the other omega which seemed to have no intention of letting go.

Yes, they were just like two little puppies that had yet to grow up. But this was the beauty of their group, even though they were no longer children, it was nice to see how everyone loved spending time without thinking about the problems of life and trying to create good memories together by making even the most stupid of games and arguing in vain for little things.

But before that little bickering could continue for much longer, Yeosang felt something lightly brush his hair and soon after he found in front of his eyes a hand holding the wings of a beautiful red-bodied dragonfly between two fingers. At that sight his eyes widened in surprise and even Seonghwa and Wooyoung finally stopped fighting.

"Yah! Hongjoong, I should have take it!" Wooyoung exclaims, particularly offended by what the other had just done and just hearing that name, Yeosang's heart skipped a beat, especially when he felt the red-haired boy's arm wrap around his shoulders, getting even closer to his body .

"I'm sorry, but this is mine, it's also red like my hair." The young alpha chuckled, looking amused at the two omegas. Eventually Seonghwa convinced Wooyoung to join Yunho and the others after just seeing Jongho slip clumsily into the water while San had already doubled over with laughter along with the other two betas.

"Don't squeeze his wings too tight, you'll hurt him." Yeosang said after not long, continuing to observe the red-bodied insect exactly like the hair of the boy next to him. In response Hongjoong smiled at Yeosang's words, finding it adorable to see how much he cared not to hurt something so tiny like a dragonfly.

Before reaching him, Seonghwa and Wooyoung near those bushes full of dragonflies, Hongjoong had observed for a while what the three boys were doing and also what the three boys were saying and by now he was certain that Yeosang's soul was too much pure and kind to that world.

"Don't worry, I'm currently following your advice." He answered quietly, thus attracting Yeosang's curiosity who looked at him with a confused look, silently asking him what he was talking about until a light bulb finally went on in his head and he understood the meaning of those words.

"Were you listening to me before?" The blond-haired boy asked anyway, also feeling a little embarrassed and didn't even know why. But Hongjoong didn't respond to his words, just staring at the little insect.

"Yeosang, make a wish." The red-haired boy said out of the blue, smiling widely at the thought, encouraging Yeosang with his eyes to do what he had just asked.

"What why?"

"Just do it."

To say he was confused was very an euphemism, but Yeosang still decided to do as Hongjoong had just told him, closing his eyes and mentally making a small wish.

"Ok I did."

"Well, now blow on the dragonfly."

Without asking any more questions, Yeosang did exactly as Hongjoong told him, blowing softly on the dragonfly and just then, the red-haired boy released his grip on the insect's wings, letting it fly high into the sky.

At that sight a big smile appeared on Yeosang's face, feeling full of hope that his wish will come true.

Hongjoong instead stood watching Yeosang, also happy with what he had done. "Come on, let's go to the others." He said after a few moments, taking his hand and already starting to walk towards the river bank without even waiting for a response from the blond-haired boy who followed him without trying to object.

"Guys, why is Yeosang still dry?" Mingi then asked as soon as the two reached the others and then he noticed that all of them were completely wet, even Hongjoong since he had previously fished together with the two betas and the two alpha.

Then noticing the smiles printed on the faces of his friends, Yeosang immediately understood what the boys' intentions were, inevitably feeling himself targeted.

"No, guys, don't even think about it." He said, trying to stop them before they could do anything else, but then Mingi tried to catch him and Yeosang managed to dodge him, thinking he should run away now that he was still in time. But before he could take a few more steps, he felt two strong arms grab him by the waist and prevent him from running away.

"Yah! Hongjoong, let me go, don't do this to me!" Yeosang yells as soon as he realized that it was the red-haired boy who had captured him and soon after he was joined by the others as well. Jongho grabbed him by the feet and together they lifted him off the ground as if he weighed nothing, then throwing him into the water immediately afterwards.

"You are a traitor, I will remember this!" He exclaimed, pointing a finger at Hongjoong that on the contrary he was laughing loudly and immediately after the others jumped into the water too, starting to splash among them.

_  
_

_I wish to never lose my new family_.

"Hey Yeosang, how did it seems to you today's activity? Did you have fun?" Hongjoong asked as they were returning home together and as every day the red-haired boy had offered to accompany him to make sure nothing would happen to him on the way. It was almost evening, the sun was already setting and the two were walking in total peace and tranquility through the streets of the village.

"Honestly, I still feel my clothes wet from what you did to me before and I can't wait to get home to change." The youngest answered, making the young alpha chuckle.

"Come on, you can't say it wasn't funny." And to those words Hongjoong already knew the answer, because even if he initially tried to be offended with his friends, in the end Yeosang had given in and started playing with the others, even trying to take revenge and splash on them as much water as possible.

"You're right, I can't say anything against it." The blond-haired boy also admitted, seriously starting to think that that group of guys were his salvation, he was really happy that he was able to be friend with them, he didn't even dare to imagine how things could have gone if that day he had not been saved from Hongjoong and his team.

After not long they finally reached the home of the smallest and not knowing how to bring the subject out, Hongjoong decided to go straight to the point without too many words, believing that they were now close enough to be able to ask him that question.

"Hey Yeosang, can I ask you something?" Question when they arrived in front of the front door of the modest wooden house of the blond, very much hoping that the other boy will not end up feeling uncomfortable.

In response the smaller boy stood looking at him for a few moments and perhaps he already knew what the red-haired boy wanted to ask him. And Yeosang's doubts were confirmed as soon as Hongjoong asked him if he was a Beta or an Omega.

Eventually Yeosang invited the boy to enter the house, so they could talk about it well and calmly. Honestly, the blond was still not entirely sure about letting someone else know what his second gender was and he knew that Hongjoong would never force him to tell him if he didn't want to, so he could well refuse to tell him.

They went to Yeosang's bedroom where the two sat on the bed and Hongjoong could clearly tell that the blond was nervous and honestly he was sorry to put all that pressure on his friend.

"Hey, if you don't want to tell me it doesn't matter, I can wait." The red-haired boy tried to reassure him, hoping to be able to make him feel better.

Then he went to take his hand, squeezing it firmly, wanting to silently make him understand that everything was fine. Yeosang then looked up, meeting Hongjoong's emerald eyes and almost getting lost in them. The irises of the red-haired boy were truly mesmerizing, they had such a beautiful and unique color that it was impossible not to stand still and admire them.

And maybe Yeosang saw something in Hongjoong's eyes that made him realize he was acting stupid. There was no reason to panic, Hongjoong would never judge him and he knew that. He trusted the red-haired boy, Hongjoong had allowed him to join his small group and made him have a new family, so why wait any longer? He trusted him, he knew that he would never hurt him and that on the contrary he would always protect him, so he decided to do it, he would tell Hongjoong the truth.

He returned her hand's grip, also taking a long, deep breath before speaking again.

"I am a Gamma."


	4. Gamma and Delta

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally Yeosang tells Hongjoong the truth about his second gender and a huge weight is finally lifted from his shoulders. But will it be the same for Hongjoong?

"A Gamma?" Hongjoong asked, clearly confused by his answer. And honestly Yeosang was already expecting such a reaction from the red-haired boy, after all in each pack the most common genders were precisely Alpha, Beta and Omega.

"Yes, I'm a Gamma. Usually those like me are also classified as Sub-Beta, because the Gamma are stronger than the Omegas, but slightly weaker than a normal Beta, so almost no one can ever understand what the my second gender. " Yeosang explained to him in a low tone of voice, almost as if he wanted to whisper those words, but he knew that Hongjoong would hear him anyway because of his more developed hearing.

After finally saying this, Yeosang was afraid to look again in the face of the boy who was sitting next to him, keeping his eyes fixed on their hands still connected, bringing the fingers to intertwine with those of the red-haired boy. He didn't want Hongjoong to look at him with different eyes like all the villagers did, even in his old pack was the same, because despite classifying him more as a Beta, they kept telling him how weak he really was compared to them.

He had always worked hard to prove he was strong, but his every attempt seemed to be in vain, because no matter how hard he tried, he would never be able to reach the level of the other Betas.

"From what I know, Gamma are very rare, they are those special cases that you don't see very often, so many werewolves don't know they exist. Usually only pack leaders and council members know about these things." The blond spoke again, hoping to be able to solve all the doubts of the older boy.

He was brought back to reality by his thoughts as soon as he noticed Hongjoong returning his hand squeeze. Finally Yeosang raised his head, meeting again the emerald green eyes of the red-haired boy who, contrary to what he expected, was giving him a small, completely calm and gentle smile.

"Thank you for trusting me and telling me Yeosang." Finally the young alpha spoke and even though he had said so, the blond could very well see that the other boy had become curious and that he probably wanted to ask him more about Gamma, but that perhaps he was holding back because he didn't want to make him even more uncomfortable. At that thought, the youngest of the two could not help but let out a small smile, grateful to Hongjoong for having such a good and understanding soul towards him.

Yeosang felt that Hongjoong was different from other Alphas, he was not rude and impulsive, he had a cooler and calculating mentality and ideals that made him a werewolf from which many would have done well to take an example.

"Hongjoong, would you like to stay here tonight?" He asks shyly after a few moments of total silence, speaking in a tone of voice more like a whisper, also feeling a little embarrassed about it.

"Are you sure? If you think I would go away from you because you are a Gamma, you are very wrong, you don't have to fear anything." And also this time it seemed as if Yeosang for Hongjoong was an open book, it was as if the red-haired boy always managed to understand what was going through his head without even needing to tell him verbally.

"I know." Yeosang said, because not for a moment he had believed that Hongjoong could think of getting away from him for such a reason, he trusted him, after all the boy with the emerald eyes had also promised to always protect him and he always kept his word date.

"I don't want to be alone tonight."

At the end Hongjoong had warned his mother through mental communication that he would spend the night with the blond and at that moment the two were lying side by side on Yeosang's bed with only the light of a lamp that was on the bedside table to keep them company.

Up to that moment they had talked a little about various things, the young Gamma had told him a little about his life with his old pack and how he had learned the art of medicine from his father and also a little bit of magic with his mother, even though he still had so much to do to improve. And thinking back to those moments had made him feel a little nostalgic, until that moment he had always tried not to think negatively and try not to get too caught up in melancholy. But Yeosang was always and in any case a little boy, he was not yet ready to give up many things, yet now he was there without his parents next to him and this was really painful.

"I guess you miss them really much, am I right?" Hongjoong said as soon as Yeosang finished telling him about the time his mother tried to teach him how to make cookies for his birthday.

The blonde just nodded his head, not knowing exactly what to say to answer his question. It was obvious that he missed his parents, but at the same time he was trying not to think about it too much, because he knew that if he did, he would burst into tears. And something told him that Hongjoong had already understood this, because perhaps it was now impossible to hide his eyes already shining from the tears he was holding back with all his strength as well as his voice that slowly became more broken and trembling.

He didn't want to cry in front of Hongjoong, not after all the red-haired boy had done for him, he didn't want to be a burden to him. He was also panicking slightly, because he knew he wouldn't last much longer and he absolutely didn't want the other guy to see him like that. But before he could say or do anything, he felt one arm wrap around his shoulders and another settle on his hips, drawing him closer to the other boy's body. And if earlier Yeosang had been shocked and surprised by that sudden gesture, now that he was understanding what was happening, his cheeks were irremediably colored with a faint red that was becoming more and more bright and his heart had already lost several beats.

"Unfortunately, I cannot fully understand what you are feeling in this moment Yeosang." He began to say, not at all disturbed by all that closeness between their bodies. He then moved the arm that had previously grabbed him by the waist and brought him to rest his hand on one of his soft cheeks. He gently moved a few strands of blonde hair that fell in front of the Gamma's eyes due to the fringe reaching the lashes, taking it as an excuse to caress his face too.

"I know this will never replace the void left by your parents' absence, but know that I am here for you, you can always count on me." He concluded, placing the palm of his hand on one of his cheeks, wiping away a small tear that had escaped Yeosang's control and that after those words he had completely collapsed.

"Shhhh, don't keep it all inside, everything will be fine." Hongjoong's tone of voice is sweet, drawing Yeosang closer and hugging him tightly as the blond-haired boy sobbed with his face now pressed against his chest.

"Lean on me, I'm here."

And on that night Yeosang realized how lucky he had been to meet someone like Hongjoong, because he felt that thanks to the red-haired boy, he would be able to overcome anything. The body of the young Alpha was warm and despite being in the summer season, he did not mind being held by his strong arms that managed to give him a strange sense of protection and make him feel good. He felt a little pathetic crying like that like a baby, but he was happy to know that Hongjoong would never judge him and that he was there to comfort him.

Eventually Yeosang fell asleep in Hongjoong's arms, tired from everything that had happened that day. But at least that night his heart was less heavy, because he had freed himself of a big weight.

_I still wonder what I did to deserve you._

~~~ 

The next day the two spent the morning together and Yeosang had even prepared breakfast for both of them as he had woken up first and Hongjoong had learned how the blond's cooking skills are not bad at all and that maybe he could even compete with his mother.

After that night together, the two began to get closer and closer and if Hongjoong always took Yeosang home when it got late, now he headed to him in the morning too, saying he wanted to taste what the blond boy prepared for breakfast and then they ended up walking the road to school together. On the one hand, Yeosang knew they were all excuses, but he still decided not to give too much importance and let the other boy do what he wanted. Often the young Gamma also committed to learning new recipes and trying to cook different things every day just for Hongjoong, knowing how much food was something really important for the red-haired boy and also because Yeosang wanted to thank the other in some way for everything he had done and kept doing for him.

And this obviously did not go unnoticed by their friends who had already noticed their behaviors and who often tried to leave them alone in any way, inventing excuses of all kinds.

"You know, I have a feeling that those idiots are planning something behind our back." Hongjoong said in an amused tone when even that afternoon only he and Yeosang ended up being together while the others had made up a lot of excuses to leave earlier. At that moment they were both sitting by the banks of the river, keeping their feet soaked in the water as they quietly spent time talking and just relaxing.

The blonde laughed with him, shaking his head disconsolately, already being able to imagine what their friends might be thinking. Honestly, he was also a little scared and also embarrassed to know, he didn't want the other guys to think weird things about him and the red-haired boy.

At those thoughts, without realizing it, Yeosang fixed his eyes on Hongjoong who at that moment appeared to be so calm and at ease, without any thought in his head to bother him. His red hair was a bit messy, parted in a side line that left his forehead uncovered and allowed a few strands to fall over his face. The emerald green eyes that Yeosang loved to observe so much were closed, clearly demonstrating how relaxed the boy was at that moment and without realizing it, he lost himself watching him, admiring the beauty of the young Alpha.

"Do you like what you see?" Hongjoong's voice suddenly said and just in that moment he opened one of his eyes, pointing it at Yeosang only to give him a small amused smile. In response, the blonde quickly looked away, pointing his eyes away so that the other boy would not notice his cheeks that had started to turn red and that on his pale skin it would have been easier to notice.

"Hey Hongjoong, can I ask you something?" At one point Yeosang asks, preferring to change the subject rather than continue to be teased by the other boy.

"Sure."

"Why do you have red hair?"

If he needed to be honest, Yeosang was a little unsure whether to ask him that question or not. He knew Hongjoong had inherited his beautiful emerald green eyes from his mother, but it was quite bizarre to see someone naturally have hair like his. From what he knew, his father doesn't have red hair either, so who did he inherit that trait from? He had wanted to ask him from the first moment they met, but he didn't think it was appropriate and in the end he never did.

But now, after spending a night like the one a few nights ago with Hongjoong, he felt he no longer needed to hold back in saying something, even if it was something silly and insignificant.

Hongjoong thought for a while what answer to give to Yeosang, after all the blond wasn't even the first to ask him why his hair had that color, but every time he had always avoided answering.

"Okay, since you've confided in me, I'll tell you a secret of mine too. But you have to promise you'll never talk to a soul about it, okay?"

At those words, Yeosang's curiosity grew more, wondering what it could be.

"I promise you I'll never tell anyone."

"Perfect." The red-haired boy smiled at him, satisfied with the answer he had just received. Until then, only his parents and the pack leader knew the truth. But just as Yeosang had trusted him enough to tell him he was a Gamma, Hongjoong also wanted to trust him.

"My father is the Delta of our pack." The young Alpha begins to say, smiling amused to see the surprised expression on Yeosang's face.

"Delta? The lone wolves?" The blond-haired boy asked in a shocked tone, not believing Hongjoong's words. He also almost believed that the other was playing a joke on him, but as soon as he saw him nod with conviction, he didn't know what to think anymore.

Deltas are werewolves known to be very strong wolves with incredible abilities. When a Beta trains consistently and manages to get stronger than other Betas, but which still remains weaker of Alphas, they are classified as Sub-Alphas. But there are rare Betas that manage to reach that level, but what happens most often is when an Alpha manages to become even stronger than other werewolves of the same gender and are classified as Delta or Pro-Alpha.

The Alphas normally already have a dominant and often very rude nature and whoever manages to become a Delta ended up being even more dangerous and selfish and for this reason most of the Deltas were banished from the packs and became lone wolves.

"My father is a Delta, but despite that he made a deal with the pack leader and that is why he is second in command. If my father does not try to fight the Alpha leader, then he can stay here in the village, otherwise he will come right away kicked out of the pack." Hongjoong immediately explained to him that he had started playing with a few blades of grass while the youngest had been listening to him in total silence.

"When I was born, my parents couldn't explain why I had red hair, it was weird and that's why my mother proposed to go to the Eastern pack and ask them."

"They wanted to ask the werewolves who are experts in the magical arts for help, right?" Yeosang asked immediately, knowing well the the abilities of the village that once stood in the east of the region, because that was once his pack, his old home.

"That's right, in the end it turned out that my father's spiritual strength was so strong that it affected me." The emerald-eyed boy chuckled and even though he was smiling, Yeosang had noticed that something was wrong, his irises didn't shine as they did when Hongjoong was really happy, there was definitely something wrong. "A true Alpha's eyes are crimson red, as is their own spiritual strength and that explains why I have this color of hair."

"You know, my father is really strong, many admire him, but..." The red-haired boy did not finish the sentence and Yeosang imagined that Hongjoong was thinking whether to tell him or not and without thinking too much, the blond went to get him his hand, squeezing it to him, exactly as Hongjoong had done a few nights before when he had revealed to him that he was a Gamma. He wanted to make him understand in the same way that everything was fine, that it didn't matter if he didn't want to tell him, because in any case Yeosang would understand and respect his choices. He didn't want to force him to speak, he wanted Hongjoong to be comfortable with him and to talk to him without feeling pressured about anything.

At that gesture, the red-haired boy smiled, making the fingers of his hand intertwine with those of Yeosang, returning his squeeze.

"You know, in order to be able to go to the spiritual temple where I have been with Yunho, Mingi, San and Jongho, the students qualified to enter are always selected through a kind of practical exam in which old sages act as judges." Said the emerald-eyed boy, glancing skyward as a dull smile was still on his face.

"At first I was not chosen."


	5. Weaknesses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Not all Alphas are born strong and perfect, to be a good leader a werewolf must demonstrate that he has the right qualities to be one."
> 
> "So that's why the guys chose you as the leader of our small team."

"The Alphas are the social class at the top of the hierarchy, the strongest werewolves within any pack genre. Yet I wasn't strong at all at first, I was weak." Hongjoong admitted, smiling sheepishly while Yeosang was somewhat surprised by his words.

Weak? Him? Until that moment the blond boy had thought so many things about the other boy, but he could never have thought that he was weak. And the thing that shocked him most was the fact that it was an Alpha telling him something like that.

Before he met Hongjoong he had met so many Alphas and almost all of them had proved to be very arrogant or full of themselves, no Alpha had ever doubted his strength or ever said to have been weak, yet Hongjoong had just done so.

"Why do you say that?" He asked cautiously, fearing he might say or do something wrong, he had the feeling that this was a rather sensitive subject for the red-haired boy.

"This is because I was really weak once, I couldn't have the right to be called an Alpha."

•

•

•

_He remembered very well those days of at least six or seven years ago, when he was still a simple puppy who still had to discover so many things about the world._

_He was also a rather well-known child in the village because of his red hair as the most ardent of fires and also because he was the son of the second-in-command Alpha of their pack, so everyone knew who Hongjoong was._

_And he honestly didn't know if this was a good thing or not, because from an early age he had always felt that people expected too much of him._

_  
_

_Like any other werewolf of his age, he went to school and his incredible intelligence was something that he had noticed early on and that for a period of time had been a source of pride for his father. But in terms of physical strength, he wasn't exactly the best and that had been something that had plagued him for a very long time. All the other boys of his age always managed to excel quickly in some test that took him longer to succeed completely._

_  
_

_"Look at him, he can't even lift three of those weights."_

_  
_

_"Are we sure he's really the son of the second-in-command in our pack?"_

_  
_

_"A few days ago I managed to beat him so easily in a hand-to-hand combat, what a disappointment."_

_  
_

_"Who knows, maybe his second gender will be that of an Omega."_

_  
_

_"You're right it's so weak it definitely won't even be a Beta."_

_  
_

_This was what the children of his own academy used to say, usually the second gender of a werewolf is only discovered when you reach twelve or in other cases around sixteen and seventeen. In those days he was just a child, yet people already expected him to be an Alpha and to prove that he was capable of defending their pack, but above all that he was worthy of being the village Delta child._

_  
_

_He was just a puppy, yet people were already expecting so much from him, but he wasn't perfect, he still had a lot of things to learn and he had already found himself facing the difficulties of life in such a cruel way._

_He also remembered well all the afternoons he spent at the training camp until late in the evening just to be able to improve in some way and Hongjoong was really convinced he had made progress._

_  
_

_He really believed that, he hoped he was getting stronger, but apparently he was wrong._

_  
_

_In fact, when one of the elders of the spiritual temple had come to their village more than six years ago, he had not been chosen, he was still too weak and this could only be something truly unacceptable for the village, but especially for his father whose disappointment was easy to read on his face every time his eyes fell on Hongjoong._

_That, if possible, had been the worst year of his life, all the boys of his age always made fun of him and the rest of the villagers were always pitied by him who nevertheless never stopped training._

_  
_

_The only one who had never stopped believing in him was only his mother, she had always encouraged him and never stopped doing it._

_He remembered that there had been one evening when he had returned home late, his father had already been away for some time on a mission and at home it was just him and his mother who, like every day, were waiting patiently for him in the kitchen to have dinner together._

_Yet that day Hongjoong had returned home in tears, he was so angry, tired and hurt that in the end he could no longer bear all by himself. He was so weak that even his emotions were able to win over him and leave him so miserable under his mother's worried eyes that she immediately ran to him to see what was wrong with him._

_  
_

_"Hongjoong, my precious child, why are you crying?" The woman asked in a bewildered tone, her heart hurt to see her little sun reduced to tears._

_  
_

_"I d-don't u-un-derstand, I k-keep trying, I ha-ve never g-gave up and...and I con-continued to train..." The little boy of only nine years had begun to say, his voice broken by the strong sobs that continued to shake his trembling body. "I keep t-trying, and y-yet I n-ne-ver succeed...no m-ma-tter how much t-time I spend trying..."_

_  
_

_"W-why am I such a f-failure?!"_

_  
_

_At those words Songhee's heart broke, feeling so bad knowing what Hongjoong thought of himself, so much so that she wanted to cry with him. Songhee was perhaps the only one who saw how much effort her son was putting in trying to improve, she was the only one who noticed all his bruises caused by his continuous training and how the her child was always so exhausted every day when he came home in the evening. Yet Hongjoong still managed to find the strength to wake up every morning and leave the house with his head held high, ignoring the poisonous comments of the people around him and immediately went to train right after school, not even returning home for lunch. It had been days since his mother had been forced to join him during his training, convincing him that if he wanted to get strong, he also had to eat and always brought him food._

_  
_

_"Honey, don't be so hard on yourself, you're not a failure." The young woman said, stroking away the tears that continued to streak Hongjoong's plump-cheeked and soft-skinned face. "Your will is your strength, you have always been so stubborn and you have trained hard every day, others should just admire you for this reason." At those words, the Omega gave him a sweet smile, stroking his soft red hair soiled with dust from all those hours spent training._

_"Don't cry my little one, you are still so young and you still have a lot of time left, the only thing you have to do is never give up." Songhee said, holding her baby in a warm hug, hoping to be able to help him and let him know that everything was fine._

_  
_

_"By making mistakes you can learn, no matter how many times you fall to the ground, the important thing is to always get up and keep trying."_

_  
_

_And thanks to the words of his mother, Hongjoong had decided that he would not let everything go that way, that he had to continue and prove to everyone that they were wrong about him, that he could become even stronger than all of them and that they have to recognized his efforts._

_  
_

_And he finally succeeded, at the age of twelve he finally discovered that he was an Alpha and managed to be chosen to go through the elite training and make his parents happy and proud of him._

•

•

•

"Your mother is truly a fantastic person." Yeosang smiled, who had been listening to Hongjoong's tale the whole time, automatically smiling at the red-haired boy's tale of how his mother had given him the strength to carry on.

The two were still sitting next to each other and at one point Yeosang had placed his head on Hongjoong's shoulder, starting to play with his hand.

In response, the young Alpha nodded, smiling too at the memory of those days. He had been through so many difficult times and most of the times he had always tried to endure and go on alone, without asking for comfort from anyone. But in those days he was still a mere child and his mother had always been there to help him pull himself up when he collapsed.

"I'm glad things turned out like this." Yeosang told him in a sincere tone, squeezing Hongjoong's hand and the red-haired boy returned the gesture, bringing his free hand to caress the youger blond head.

"Not all Alphas are born strong and perfect, to be a good leader a werewolf must demonstrate that he has the right qualities to be one."

"So that's why the guys chose you as the leader of our small team." Yeosang smiled, remembering how others showed how they were proud of Hongjoong and also for what he did and this was literally one of the many things that made the blond realize how close they were like a real family.

"If you talk about Mingi, know that he talks too much, sometimes I am amazed too at what he can say about us." The red laughed, remembering that time the Beta had told a greengrocer that Jongho was capable of smashing a watermelon with his pinkie

"Maybe you are right, but I think they admire you a lot at the same time." Yeosang retorts, looking up to be able to look the red-haired boy in the eye, but without lifting his head from his shoulder.

"I'm glad I met you Hongjoong."

**Author's Note:**

> Completely written and invented by me, do not copy or reproduce on other types of platforms without my consent.


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